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Laurasian Calendar
The Laurasian Calendar, used throughout civilization, is split into twelve months, each of which lasts three tendays (thirty days). Five holidays mark the seasons and are themselves not part of any month. The holidays appear in brackets after the month that precedes them. The first of the Pathfinders arrived in Willowdale on the first of Mirtul. Months Hammer Alturiak (Imbolc) Ches Tarsakh Mirtul (Beltane) Kythorn Flamerule (Lunasa) Highsun Eleint Leafall (Samhain) Uktar Nightal (Yule) While the calendar itself is fairly ubiquitous, regional variants do exist; Northern tradition calls Uktar "The Rotting", while southerners refer to Eleint as "The Month of Dragons". Holidays Imbolc - The quickening of the year, when the first signs of spring appear. Trees begin to bud, life stirs under the frozen earth, and the days grow long as the Sun Goddess gathers her power. Imbolc is a festival of fire and light, sacred to such spirits. Candles are lit in their honour. Imbolc is also associated with cleansing and purification, both of the home and of the self. Beltane - By Beltane, spring has truly come and plants are flowering. According to myth, this is the anniversarry of the wedding of the Faerie Queen and King, and their folk are particularly active on Beltane and Beltane Eve. It is considered wise to leave them offerings, thus inviting good fortune rather than bad on this night. Beltane is sacred to nature gods and goddesses, such as Yoma, and is especially important to witches, druids, and others with connections to spiritualism or nature. These individuals gather dew on Beltane morning, and tend particularly closely to sacred groves and wells, sometimes with the help of the local community. Beltane is also the holiday of romantic love, when young sweethearts exchange tokens and flowers, often anonymously. It is considered an auspicious day for weddings, betrothals, and the birth of a child. Lughnasadh / Lunasa - The longest day of the year, and the first and most important harvest festival in Laurasia. Preparations for the festival generally begin early in Flamerule, and excitement builds until the end of the month. Traditions of the festival include baking special breads, making offerings of grain and other fruits of the harvest, welcoming travellers, and giving thanks for the bounty of the season. Feasts are held and carnivals gather in many towns. Samhain (Pronounced So-wen) - This day marks the end of the harvest season and the approaching winter. The days grow darker. The Sun Goddess and all spirits and dieties of the summer sleep and dream, waiting for their rebirth. At this time, the division between worlds is thin, with spirits, ghosts, and supernatural creatures often slipping through for the night. Samhain is both solemn and joyous, and can be celebrated in either fashion according to local and personal custom. Some hold masquerade parties, while others pay respect to anscestors and the beloved dead. Witches consider Samhain the start of a New Year, and hold grand gatherings. Yule - According to myth, Yule marks the victory of the reborn Sun Goddess over the gods of Winter and Death. This joyous event, and the return of light and warmth, is celebrated with much revelry among family and friends. It is a traditional time of truce, associated with peace and brotherly love. Yule logs are lit, wassail cups and gifts are passed, and houses are decorated with mistletoe and evergreens. In the Laurasian calendar, Yule marks the beginning of the new year. It is worth noting that while only the holidays integral to the calendar have been detailed here, there are still dozens, if not hundreds, of other holidays that exist for different races, religions, and locales. For example, Willowdale holds a fishing competition during the month of Kythorn, and now holds a cake baking competition on the 17th of Leafall. Birthdays Wutog's second birthday (due to reincarnation) is on Samhain. Ruthea's birthday is in early Leafall. Rinzler's birthday is on the 10th of Ches. Jura's birthday is on the 29th of Nightal. Alyenna's birthday is on the 22nd of Leafall. Alejandra's birthday is unknown. Next birthday of those listed: Rinzler Category:History Category:Civilization